Double Vision
by KatBlue
Summary: Taken from the Replacement episode, except this time Buffy is the one that gets divided into two. It's going to have two favorite couples you all love and Buffy will not be with Riley in this one. Sorry, Riley lovers. Chapter 6.
1. Chapter 1

Double Vision.

Taken from the Replacement episode, except this time Buffy is the one that gets divided into two. It's going to have two favorite couples you all love and Buffy will not be with Riley in this one. Sorry, Riley lovers.

Xander has been realizing that he should get his own place. Living in his parents' basement isn't the best place for a 20 year old to live in. His jobs have always paid pretty much minimum wage and he is sure he won't be able to pay for a decent apartment. Too bad he can't bunk with Willow and Buffy at the dorm. He figured they would find out that he doesn't attend school. It's about time to take the big step and see what happens.

"If you get the apartment, this'll be your hallway," says Willow as she, Anya, Xander, Buffy, and Riley walk down the hall. Xander wears a yellow T-shirt with a brightly flowered Hawaiian shirt over it. He now wishes he had worn something more professional when Buffy and Riley laughed at his shirt when they saw him. Anya still has her arm in the sling. "We'll walk down this hall, and we'll say, "La la, I'm on my way to Xander's."

"Just warning you, Xander, I probably won't be doing that," says Buffy.

"Really? I will," says Riley. (Hint he likes Willow. LOL.)

"Hey, we're just lookin'," says Xander. "Rent's way high, so don't get your hopes all carbonated."

"But you have references," says Anya.

"No, I have Albert, which is me doing an important voice.'Xander Harris? An excellent tenant. And a very nice-looking fellow.'" Anya opens a door and they walk into the apartment. It's large and spacious.

"Whoa! Big!" says Willow.

"It's nice," says Buffy. "And not subterranean. It's very, uh, above-terranean." Xander looks less than thrilled. It's too perfect and the girls love it.

"I want it. Pay anything," says Anya.

"Xander Harris?" says the real-estate manager woman, who enters the apartment. She walks over to Riley and smiles.

"Uh, no, Riley Finn," says Riley as he shakes her hand. "This is, Xander." Xander wipes his hand on his shirt before holding it out.

"Hey," says Xander wishing he had said something better than what horses eat. He and the manager shake hands.

"Ah," says the woman manager.

"I brought my friends."

"I see."

"They wouldn't always be around."

"But we're clean and-and quiet," says Willow. Xander looks nervous. The manager looks uncertain. Anya is standing in the living room, gesturing around.

"We can have the Scooby meetings in the living room, and-and Giles can explain the boring things over there," says Anya. Willow goes into the kitchen.

"Oh, there's a microwave!" says Willow excited. "It would be like having hot and cold running popcorn."

"Phone and electricity are hooked up," says the woman manager. "There's a private balcony, ceiling fan, closet space…" Xander sees the door to the bedroom. "And that's the bedroom." Xander opens the door and finds Buffy and Riley sitting on the bed, smooching. He rolls his eyes.

"Guys, you can't save it for the bedroom?" says Xander. Buffy and Riley look around pointedly. "Okay, good point." He walks away. Buffy and Riley get up.

"I brought an application for you to fill out," says the woman manger. She gives Xander a piece of paper.

"An application? I can't just ... tell you my references?" says Xander. "Because there's Albert."

"We run your credit check based on the application."

"Oh! Credit check." He looks nervously to the others. "Little check on the credit. See how credible my checks are." He laughs nervously. The others laugh politely.

"And we'll be asking for first, last, security, and a small cleaning deposit. The total's at the bottom of the sheet there." Xander looks at the sheet. Riley, Buffy, and Willow lean in to look, too. Anya comes over and glances briefly at the sheet. She turns to the manager.

"He'll take it," says Anya. She looks at Xander. "Xander, go get the furniture, I'll wait here." She looks back at the manager. "He's been living in his drunken parents' basement where something urinated on the hot plate." Xander laughs nervously.

"Anya, can we talk quietly over there?" asks Xander. He looks at the manager. "Excuse us." He pulls Anya aside, leaving the other three with the manager. They smile nervously at her.

"Uh, we, uh ... we like the ceiling fan," says Riley.

"Yes," says Willow. "It's very, you know, kind of old south."

"But without the unpleasant slavery associations," says Buffy.

Outside on the balcony, Xander talks to Anya.

"But why can't we have it?" asks Anya.

"I told you, my construction job is ending, and I won't have any more money coming in," says Xander quietly. "And by the way, you do have your own place."

"So when I wanna visit you, I have to be in that awful basement?"

"Not forever. Just until things come together."

"Which is when, Xander? 'Cause right now, things are looking pretty untogether, and you can't expect me just to wait around for-" Her voice rises and the others try not to notice.

"Quiet, please. Anya, what is this? What's going on with you?

"What's going on with me is my arm hurts ... and I'm tired ... and I don't really feel like taking a tour of beautiful things I can't have." She says this loudly and stalks out. The manager looks a little suspicious. The others smile gamely. Xander puts on a big fake smile.

"I guess I'll just start on that application. I think you'll like it. I've been told I have lovely penmanship." He takes the application, puts it on a counter, and begins filling it out. The manager watches, looking skeptical.

Meanwhile at the newly owned magic shop, owned by Giles, he is now counting his inventory that has just arrived. He is surrounded by boxes, looking at one. Then he is confronted by a big guy as he turns around.

"Oh!" says Giles surprised to see a being. The being asks for the Slayer. Giles tries to grab something in the boxes to hold up to this being, Toth. He finds a fertility god and hits Toth with it. Toth tosses Giles into some boxes and leaves since he has not found what he was looking for.

Later, the Scoobies join him at the shop and he demonstrates how he took care of that demon using the fertility god as his line of defense.

"That thing's pretty heavy," says Riley.

"That's Oofdar," says Willow. "Goddess of childbirth. She's got some nice heft to her."

"How badly did you hurt him?" asks Buffy.

"Well, hurt, uh ... maybe not ... Hurt," replies Giles.

"Well, I-I'm sure he was startled," says Willow.

"Uh, yes, yes, I'd imagine it gave him, uh, rather a turn." Buffy gives him a grin.

"He ran away, huh?" says Buffy.

"Um, sort of more ... uh ... turned and swept out majestically, I suppose. He said I didn't concern him."

"So, a mythic triumph over a completely indifferent foe?" Giles feels insulted.

"Well, I'm not dead or unconscious, so I say bravo for me." Willow looks up at some books to try to find the demon.

"So, you bought the magic shop and you were attacked before it opened," says Xander. "Who's up for a swingin' chorus of the "We told you so" symphony?" Giles shrugs and finally finds the demon in the book.

"Toth," says Giles as he looks at Riley. Riley is confused by what Giles just said.

"He called you a Toth," says Buffy. "It's a British expression. It means, like, moron."

"No, Toth is the name of the demon." Giles explains about the demon and that he is old and unlike any other demon.

"He mentioned Buffy?" asks Riley. "Where do we find him, and how hard can I kill him?" Giles consults his book and guesses where the demon could be by saying he smelled.

The conclusion made them end up at the dump, so they head over there and it was already night time. They hear noises and see someone rooting around in the trash. They find Spike there holding a mannequin arm.

"Spike, um ... we're looking for a demon, um... tall, robed, skin sort of hanging off," says Giles. "Deep voice?"

"You mean a great tall robe-y thing like that one?" Spike says. He points behind them. They all turn and see Toth standing there. He points his stick at them. Fire flashes out of it and they all duck just in time.

"Take cover!" says Riley.

"Big guy! Kick her ass!" says Spike cheering for the demon. Toth fires again. Buffy and Xander duck aside, and the bolt shatters Spike's lamp, which he's still holding. "Oh, very nice! I was on your side!" He angrily tosses the pieces of lamp aside. Toth fires again.

"Watch out!" says Xander and attempts to thrust Buffy behind him, but she pushes him aside. The blast hits her full in the chest and she flies backwards into a pile of trash. The others rush over to her. Xander falls on the floor and is the first one at her side.


	2. Chapter 2

Double Vision. Chapter 2.

Okay, what I meant with Buffy not being with Riley is that she'll sort of dump him in this episode for Xander. I'm a Xander/Buffy fan, so gotta love me. LOL.

"Buff, are you okay?" asks Xander as he helps her up.

"Ouch," says Buffy holding her head. "That Toth is ruthless."

"Let's take her home," says Riley as he helps Xander help Buffy walk out of the trash. They take her to her dorm with Willow. Buffy showers and changes her clothes. She tosses the clothes into her hamper and sits down on her bed. "You're good?"

"I'm fine," replies Buffy. "I can handle a big bump. I am the Slayer."

"Yeah, I guess. Well, see you tomorrow." Riley heads over to kiss Buffy, but she doesn't go up to kiss him on the lips as she usually does. He then ignores it and kisses the top of her head. Then he leaves the dorm room.

"My gosh, he worries way too much." Buffy pulls her covers out.

"Buffy, he's just worried about you," says Willow.

"I know but…I have no idea why I fell for him. I mean, I need to keep up with my training. He is slowing me down. If I wasn't going out with him and kissing and stuff, I could have taken that demon."

"Buffy, he was pretty big and he had that zappy thing, which I'm a little worried that it hurt you."

"I'm good. I feel great."

The next morning at the dump, Buffy wakes up in the hemp of trash. She smells something really horrible and stirs. Buffy opens her eyes and looks at her surroundings.

"Ewwwww!" says Buffy. She gets up and tries to take off all the trash on her. Then she smells her hands. "Ewwww." She walks out of the dump and heads to her dorm.

As she walks down the hallway, people stare at her. She quickly hurries off into her room. When she closes her door she walks over to her closet and she sees on her hamper the clothes that she is wearing. She picks it up and looks at the clothes she has on. Buffy ignores it and takes a quick shower and then changes her clothes. She is brushing her hair and she looks at her jewelry box and takes a cute bracelet out. It is the one that Xander gave her. She decides to put it on.

Meanwhile at Xander's, Xander is cleaning up very nicely. He looks suave and is combing his hair and slicking it back. Xander looks at himself in a mirror and smiles. He is determined to get a raise at his job also to get the apartment they all saw yesterday.

"I guess I can be impressive," says Xander. "I have it in me." He heads out of the basement and walks to the construction site. On his way there, he bumps into Buffy.

"Hey, Buff," says Xander. Buffy is in shock that Xander looks real good and smells real nice.

"Is that all you can say?" says Buffy. "I can't believe you guys left me in that dump."

"What are you talking about, Buffy?"

"The city dump? Where we tracked down Toth? Remember?"

"Yeah, I remember. We walked you home. Back to your dorm room with Willow."

"No, you didn't. This morning I woke up in the dump. My hair smelled." Buffy touches her hair and scrunches her face.

"Buff, maybe you hit your head or something because I know we didn't leave you."

"Yes, you did." Buffy pushes him out of the way, but Xander pulls her back taking her right hand where she put the bracelet.

"Buffy, wait…" Xander sees the bracelet. "You still have that?" Buffy looks at the bracelet.

"Yeah, it's very pretty. Now, will excuse me? I have to scream at Giles and the others." Buffy heads to Giles' house. Xander rolls his eyes and follows her.

When they arrive, Buffy looks through the window and sees herself. Xander then crashes into her.

"Xander?" says Buffy.

"Sorry, give a warning next time," says Xander. "What's the matter?"

"Look." Xander looks through the window and sees what Buffy had seen, another Buffy.

"I'm seeing double."

"She's not me! She's a doppelganger."

"Yeah, we did this before."

"Oh my gosh, they're in there with her and…What are we going to do?"

"First, how do I know you really are Buffy?" Buffy rolls her eyes at him.

"Xander." Buffy sighs. "Okay, the first time we met in the hallway. You helped me with my things when they fell out and the first words you said to me were 'can I have you'" Xander blushes.

"Okay, passed the test. Then, who is she?"

"I don't know. She doesn't seem to be endangering the others. For now at least."

"Who could have made a double of you?"

"Maybe it's Toth. He cloned me and it has taken my place."

Suddenly the other Buffy sees Xander and the Buffy from outside quickly ducks away. The Buffy from inside Giles' house heads over to the door and opens it.

"Xander, what are you doing out here?" ask the Buffy that came from Giles' house. The other Buffy is hiding behind a bush.

"Um, just admiring the scenery," replies Xander with a nervous smile.

"Are you coming in?"

"Oh, yeah. In a second."

"Okay." Buffy enters inside. The other Buffy comes out from the bushes.

"She's a lot like you."

"But I'm me." Buffy pouts. "We need to get that book with the information on Toth."

"We, I don't see no we going in there to get the book." Buffy looks at him. "I see a me." Xander sighs and enters Giles' house. "Hey, everyone."

"Giles, I think we need to train more," says Buffy. "I need to be prepared for other demons like Toth. I can't be down on my guard."

"Well, I agree with you, Buffy, but I've been reading up on Toth and…"

"Come on, that demon is a chicken. One zap and nothing happens. He'd be lucky if Buffy doesn't find him." Xander has his hands on the book. "Oh my gosh, look at that!" Everyone turns to the direction Xander is looking and Xander quickly snatches the book and leaves the house. They all turn around and see the door open. Xander runs right by the Buffy outside.

"I think you better run," says Xander. Buffy tries to catch up to him.

"Why?" asks Buffy.

"Buffy." Buffy turns her head around and sees the other Buffy running after them.

"I can take her." The other Buffy reaches the Buffy who is running with Xander.

"Xander, give me that book back," says Buffy. "Is has important information and we need it. Who are you?"

"The real Buffy. You're an imposter," says the other Buffy. "Now you're going to get your butt kicked." Buffy tries to fight her, but she twists her hand. "Ouch." Xander goes to her rescue and slams the book in the other Buffy's face. That Buffy falls back and Xander and the hurt Buffy run off. The two finally make it to a crowded area and are pretty close to the construction site.

"Buffy, I need to do something," says Xander. "I need to go over to that trailer and get some ice from the frig. I'll meet you there."

Xander turns to Buffy and hands her the book. He starts to fix his clothes and makes sure his hair is okay. Buffy looks at him strangely.

"Xander, what are you doing?" asks Buffy.

"I'm going to get me a raise," says Xander with determination. "Give me a couple of minutes." Buffy nods her head the goes over to the trailer he told her about.

"Oh, good luck." Xander walks over to his boss's trailer. His boss comes out and nods at Xander.

"It's your day off, Harris," says his boss.

"I know. Just hear me out."

"Okay, I'm listening."

A couple minutes later, Xander meets Buffy in the trailer he told her about. She looks up at him when he enters with a smile on his face.

"So?" says Buffy.

"I've got the raise," replies Xander.

"That's great, Xander." Buffy goes up to him and kisses him on the cheek. "I don't know what's wrong with my Slayer strength. I so could have taken that Buffy wannabe."

"Buff, we'll figure things out." Xander goes up to her and helps her with the ice bag. "Come on. Let's go get me an apartment."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3. Double Vision.

Xander and Buffy head over to the apartments they had gone to the other day. He spoke to the lady and gave her the deposit and all she needed. The lady was more impressed with his attire, but confused why he was with Buffy since she assumed was with the tall strapping man she had greeted first the last she saw them.

"Thank you for your time," says the lady. "Enjoy." She leaves and Xander starts jumping up and down.

"I'm so proud of you, Xander," says Buffy. "Now, we need to get back to other important things."

"Right, Toth. What kind of name is that?" Buffy glares at him. "Okay, trying to be helpful." Buffy flips through the pages of the book Xander took from Giles and finds the page that has the info on Toth.

"Read this. It says that his stick thingy can divide a person into two equal halves. Oh my gosh, that has to hurt."

"Buffy, I don't think you're reading it right. It says two equal persons."

"Oh, that's what he did. When he zapped me. He split me into two and that other me is me."

"Huh?"

"She's my other half. My Slayer half. I don't have my Slayer strength." Buffy tries to punch Xander and she breaks her nail. Xander did not feel a thing. "Oh, my nail."

"You're right. Why would he do that?"

"Because he's not going after Slayer Buffy, he's going after ordinary girl Buffy."

"What if one of you dies?"

"Then the other me dies, too. We're connected. We are Buffy."

"Wow."

"What?"

"I thought you'd be a little more air-heady."

"Xander." Buffy punches him again and breaks another nail. She whimpers.

"I'm sorry." Xander grabs her hand and kisses it. "What do we do now? I mean, we gotta keep you safe."

"We need to warn the others, so we can put both of us back together; I mean me and her…whatever."

"I'm not leaving you alone here, Buffy."

Meanwhile at Giles', they are discussing why Xander would steal one of Giles' books. Buffy then tells them that he was with a girl who looked like her.

"It was like she was my twin sister," says Buffy. "She tried to fight me, but I twisted her hand and it kind of hurt mine."

"Did you say there were two Buffy's?" asks Giles. "Where have I read that before?"

"In the book that Xander took," says Willow. "I think that was there. Maybe it has something to do with Toth. Maybe he clones people with his stick thingy."

"Cloning isn't something demons would do, especially that particular demon."

"Then what else can you remember, Giles?" asks Buffy. "There is a girl out there that looks like me and who knows what she could be doing. And she's convinced Xander that she is me and he can be in a lot of trouble."

"We need to find out where they are," says Willow. "And get the book back."

"Well, lets start looking," says Giles as he heads to the door. "There is so many places that Xander could be."

"I'll catch up with you," says Buffy. "I'm going to get some help."

"Are you going to get Riley?" asks Willow.

"No."

"Okay," says Giles as he and Willow head out of Giles' house.

Buffy heads over to the cemetery. She stops at a crypt and knocks on the door. Spike answers the door and rolls his eyes at her.

"What do you want?" asks Spike.

"I need your help," says Buffy.

"Cough up the goods."

"Spike, this Toth demon that we fought at the junkyard has somehow cloned me."

"Cloned you, a demon cloned you. Now, that's an idea." Spike starts getting naughty thoughts in his head.

"Spike!"

"Oh, sorry, Slayer. Got caught up. What do you want me to do about it? I ain't fighting that big demon. He's like the jolly green giant, except less jolly. Forget it, Slayer."

"I don't want you to fight him. I need to find Xander. He's in trouble."

"And that is news because…"

"Spike, that girl has convinced Xander that she is me and I need to stop her. There is only one Buffy in this town and that's me."

"That's telling them, Slayer. There is nothing on the tube tonight. Let's go." Spike heads out of his crypt and closes the door.

Willow and Giles have gone to many of Xander's usual places but nothing. The two were going nowhere fast.

"Where could he be?" asks Willow. "What if she's torturing him right now and we haven't gotten one bit closer. She could be breaking his fingers for all we know."

"Willow, calm down," says Giles as he puts his hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure that Xander is alright. We'll find him." They pass the apartments that they had looked with Xander the day before. Willow sees Xander's car nearby.

"That's Xander's car."

"Perhaps we struck to some luck."

"Xander was looking at apartments yesterday here. Why would she take him here?"

"Don't know, but we have something. Let's go." Willow and Giles go into the complex and head to the apartment where she was yesterday. Giles tries to open the door.

Inside, Buffy and Xander freak when they see the doorknob move. Buffy gets behind Xander for some strange reason. She knew she had no Slayer strength and it seemed like a girly thing to do.

"Oh my gosh," says Buffy. "He's found me."

"We could climb out the balcony," suggests Xander.

"We're three stories up."

"Oh." The door finally budges and in comes Willow and Giles. Xander and Buffy are relieved that it is not the demon.

"Xander, you're okay," says Willow.

"Of course I am, Willow," says Xander as Buffy comes out from behind him. Willow looks at her.

"Xander, we think that this isn't Buffy," says Giles.

"You're a little wrong there, Giles, because I kind of took your book. Sorry about that. This is Buffy and so is the other one you guys were with. Both of them are Buffy. Two parts of Buffy."

"The Slayer half and the normal girl."

"Right on the money. We need to get them back together."

"I know a spell of how to do that."

"Good because we haven't got much time. That Toth is after this Buffy and if he kills her…"

"Both of them will die and Buffy will die."

"He's amazing."

"I'll go try to find the other Buffy and get some of the supplies we need to do the spell. Willow, stay here with them. I'll be back soon." Giles exits the apartment. Willow turns to Xander.

"Xander, why are you dressed so nice?" asks Willow.

"Well, I don't want to brag, but I got the apartment, Willow," says Xander.

"Really? That's great, Xander. How are you going to pay for it?"

"Got a raise, too. I got a little determined."

"He looks great, doesn't he?" says Buffy finally speaking. "I'm liking this new Xander." Buffy rubs Xander's shoulder. Willow just smiles at the two and agrees with Buffy.

Giles looks for the other Buffy in the cemetery. The last time he saw her, she was headed that way. He is in luck when he sees Buffy walking out of the cemetery, with Spike at her side. Giles explains everything about the other Buffy and about Toth, who is after the other Buffy.

"We need to find him," says Buffy. "And kill it."

"Sounds good," says Spike.

"I'm going to get some stuff at my place for the spell to restore the Buffy's," says Giles.

"We'll find Toth," says Buffy as she heads back into the cemetery. Spike follows her. "If he is looking for me, then there is only one place I'd be."

"Guess you're right," says Spike when he spots the demon ahead.

"You're going down." Buffy faces the demon and begins to fight him. The demon is strong and hardly makes any movements with Buffy's attempts to hurt him. Spike joins in on the fight, but the demon smashes his nose and tosses him towards a tombstone.

"You're not the one I'm looking for," says the demon, Toth. He hits Buffy on the head with his stick and she falls down on the ground. Toth leaves the cemetery. Spike crawls over to Buffy.

"Buffy, are you okay?" asks Spike. Buffy stirs and touches her head, which is full of blood.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4. Double Vision.

Back at Xander's apartment, Buffy becomes dizzy and falls. Xander catches her and lays her down on the floor.

"Ouch," she says. He tries to lift her head up when he notices something wet on the back of her head. Xander pulls his hand out and it is covered with blood. "My head hurts and my arm hurts. I don't know why." Xander looks at Willow, who is very worried.

"Maybe Toth found Slayer Buffy," says Xander to Willow.

"I guess," says Willow. "Since they are both connected, they get each other's ouches." Xander lets Buffy rest her head on his lap, with his hand on her head.

"We need some…"

Giles comes into the apartment. He sees Buffy on the ground with Xander and drops everything he has in his hands. Luckily it was stuff that didn't break.

"What happened?" asks Giles. "Did he…"

"No, I think it's the Slayer Buffy," says Xander. "Must have had a confrontation and she got the side effects."

"Buffy, how do you feel?"

"Like I've been hit on the head with a stick," replies Buffy. "Really hard." Giles takes off his jacket.

"Here, put this in the back of the head to stop the bleeding. Willow, help me prepare the spell."

"Okay," replies Willow.

Just outside the cemetery, the other Buffy and Spike limp over to Giles'. Buffy opens the door, knowing that it was unlocked.

"I think my arm is twisted," says Buffy. "Could you…" Spike walks over to Buffy and holds her as Buffy tries to push her arm back into place. "Oh, better."

The Buffy at Xander's apartment screams in agony with the pain of her arm. Xander holds her close as Giles and Willow watch her. She is breathing heavily and is holding tight to Xander.

"We should get some weapons," says Spike as he heads over to Giles' weapons. He pulls out an axe. Buffy heads over to the kitchen and wets a paper towel and puts it on the back of her head. She pulls it away and sees all the blood on the paper. "You okay, Slayer?"

"A little bump is all," says Buffy. She wipes all the blood out and then puts a pack of ice to numb the pain a little.

"Let me see that?" Buffy walks over to Spike and takes the ice pack out. "It's pretty nasty. Seen worst, but…" Spike grabs her hand that has the ice pack and places it back on her head. Buffy sits down for a bit.

"We can't rest," says Buffy. "We need to find him. He can't get to her. We have to protect her."

"I'm sure he won't fine her that easily. Come on, he's kind of dumb to look for normal girl Buffy in the cemetery."

"I guess you're right. He is a little bit dumb." Buffy looks at Spike's intense blue eyes. "Never knew you had such pretty eyes." Spike smiles at her. Buffy touches his face and Spike becomes confused. She then leans in close and kisses him on the lips. Buffy falls on top of him and continues to kiss him. She drops the ice pack on the floor and it begins to melt as they continue to make-out.

Back at Xander's apartment, Buffy is holding tight to Xander and she keeps focus at her charm bracelet that glitters as she moves her hand.

"All we need is the other Buffy," says Giles as he had finished preparing for the spell. "Where could she be?"

"Maybe she's resting a bit," says Willow. "I assume she met up with Toth or something, but she's okay because Buffy here is okay, right?"

"Yeah, Willow," says Xander. "I wish I had my weapons here. I'd go out there and…"

"Xander, you wouldn't stand a chance against Toth," says Giles. "I didn't stand a chance against him and he didn't even fight me."

"I just wish I could do something."

Suddenly they hear a thump at the door. They all turn to look at the door as it busts open. It's Toth and he is happy to see Buffy. Xander picks her up and takes her away. Giles tries to grab his stick, but Toth tosses him into the kitchen. Willow attempts to do a spell, but he stops her in the middle of it by grabbing her from the throat.

"Willow!" says Xander giving Willow a chance to loosen the grip and let Toth drop her to the floor. She quickly runs over to Giles' side. Toth looks at Xander in the bedroom and Buffy is lying on the bed. Xander closes the door, which he knew would not work, but tried it anyway. The door blows open and it hit Xander. He crashes into the wall. "No, Buffy…"

Toth walks over to the bed and Buffy opens her eyes and sees him. She tries to move away from him on the bed, but Toth grabs her by her arm. Buffy starts to scream.

"No!" says Buffy over and over again. "Please, let go." She begins to beg as Toth brings her into the living room. Giles wakes up to hear Buffy screaming. He and Willow get up, but have no plan of action. They couldn't take on Toth themselves.

Back at Giles' house, Buffy pulls herself off of Spike. Buffy feels scared and tears start to stream from her face.

"What's the matter, luv?" asks Spike.

"He's got her," says Buffy. She quickly grabs one of Giles' swords and heads to the door.

"Toth." Spike grabs the axe he had taken out and follows Buffy out the door. The two run like they have never run before to Xander's apartment. They have to get there in time and stop Toth.

In the apartment, Toth pulls out a knife and grabs Buffy by the neck to slit her throat. It was a favorite deed of his. Then Xander comes out of the bedroom and hits Toth with a lamp. Toth gets angry and releases Buffy. He faces Xander, who didn't have a weapon and starts to back off. He sees Buffy try to get away by reaching the balcony door.

Willow gets scared for Xander's life and decides to grab a chair from the table and hits Toth over the head. Giles follows Willow's lead and does the same with another chair. Toth turns around to the two.

"You useless humans are no match for me," says Toth. "I'm not here for you. The Slayer is the only one that concerns me now."

"Then why don't you take me on," says Buffy who is at the front door. The other Buffy is relieved that she is here. "Or are you scared." Buffy moves her sword swiftly around.

"Doesn't matter," says Toth. "As long as I kill one of you."

"Well, come on now. Kick my ass." The two start to fight. Xander reaches for the other Buffy and helps her over to where Giles and Willow are. Toth then picks Slayer Buffy up and body slams her on the ground. She drops her sword and then hits open the head wound. The other Buffy feels the pain and touches the back of her head.

"Ouch," says Buffy.

Spike then attacks Toth from behind with the axe. He hits him with the axe on his back and when he pulls it out, some gooey green blood comes out. Toth turns around and hits Spike's hand and the axe goes flying to the wall.

"Bloody hell," says Spike as he tries to arm and combat him. The other Buffy gets up and pulls Toth off from beating Spike. She turns him to her and starts to punch him. Spike falls back a little and leans on the wall.

Toth pushes Slayer Buffy to the side and grabs her sword from the ground and throws it at the other Buffy. Xander and Buffy see it and duck quickly. The sword gets stuck in the wall. Giles tries to take the sword out.

Slayer Buffy gets right up again and continues to fight Toth. She begins to get an upper hand and then Toth hits Buffy again in the head and twists her arm again. The other Buffy screams in pain for the Slayer Buffy. Xander holds her close.

Spike pulls the axe out and begins to swing it around. He hits Toth right on the forehead with it and he is knocked out against the counter near the kitchen.

"Maybe we should get Buffy out of here while the going gets good," says Willow seeing that the front exit is wide open.

"Good idea," says Xander. "Go, Buffy." Xander helps her up and Buffy heads over to the door. She stops when Toth gets up and points the stick at both of them. He shoots and Buffy pushes Xander down. It misses both of them.

Toth heads over to them and picks up both Giles and Xander by their shirts. He throws them into the kitchen. Buffy squirms in the corner that Toth has her in. Spike tries to pull him away from her, but Toth swings around and hits him tossing him to where the other Buffy is. Toth pulls out his knife and is about to run Buffy through with it, when Xander gets up, grabs Giles' sword, and runs Toth through instead. Xander pulls the sword out.

"Buffy!" says Xander. He couldn't see her with Toth in the way. Spike walks over to Toth with the axe and sees him move a little. He then slices his head off and the head goes rolling into the hallway. Toth falls to the ground. They can see Buffy.

"Buffy," says Xander as he drops the sword and hugs her.

"Ouch," says Buffy as Xander pulls away.

"Your head still hurts?"

"No." Xander pulls away more and sees Toth's knife in Buffy's gut.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5. Double Vision.

"Oh, no." He pulls Buffy's hands away from the knife.

Spike heads over to the Slayer Buffy and helps her get up. She then gets a little weak and her hand touches her gut, which begins to fill with blood. Spike notices this and then he sees the other Buffy with a knife in her gut.

"Buffy," says Willow getting really worried. Xander pulls the knife out quickly, but Buffy felt the pain and screams. Spike brings over Slayer Buffy and lays her down beside the other Buffy. Slayer Buffy sees the other Buffy.

"Sorry about twisting your arm," says Slayer Buffy.

"That's okay," replies the other Buffy.

"Sorry I couldn't protect you." The two Buffy's pull out their hands and hold each other's hands like sisters.

"Giles, we need to do something," says Xander. "Can we get them back together?"

"Right," says Giles. "Willow, the candles." Willow lights up two candles and puts them on the symbol that Giles made on the floor, a pentagram.

"Buffys, hold on," says Willow. "Let the spell be ended."

In the instant that Willow says her words, they see one Buffy lying on the ground, still hurt and bleeding.

"Alright, we need to get her to the hospital," says Xander as he picks her up. "Come on." Giles and Willow follow Xander. Spike just walks out of the apartment.

"Spike, come on," calls Willow in the hallway. Spike then goes with them.

When they arrive at the hospital, they give the story that she was mugged. The doctors take Buffy in a hurry to stop the bleeding from both her head and her gut. They all waited in the waiting room.

"Do you think we should call Joyce?" asks Willow.

"I'll do that," says Giles as he gets up and heads to the phones. The others just waited there, until the doctor comes to tell them of Buffy's condition.

In a little while, Joyce and Dawn enter the hospital. They quickly rush to where Giles, Willow, and Xander are standing and pacing back and forth.

"Anything?" asks Joyce. Giles nods his head and leads Joyce over to one of the chairs in the waiting room.

Then the doctor comes over to them and Joyce quickly gets up and walks over to him. The doctor sees that there are many people to see Buffy.

"I'm Buffy's mother," says Joyce. "Is she alright?"

"Your daughter has lost a lot of blood," says the doctor. "We got a transfusion and an IV on her, so she should make a pretty good recovery." Everyone in the room was pleased to hear that, especially Spike. "She needs lots of rest."

"Can we see her?" Joyce hoped that the doctor would say yes.

"Yes, she is being brought from the recovery room and is waking up from the anesthetics. I'll go find out what room she'll be put in and take you to her."

"Thank you." Joyce grabs the doctor's hand and the doctor smiles and squeezes her hand in reassurance.

Buffy is already waking up and the first person she sees is Joyce and Giles at either side of her. She begins to see everything blurry and even doubled in her vision, but soon her vision got clearer.

"Buffy," says Joyce as she touches Buffy's head lightly. "I was so worried."

"I'm okay, Mom," says Buffy in a soft voice. Buffy turns her head to Giles and pulls her hand out to reach for his. Giles comes closer to Buffy and grabs her hand. "Is everyone okay? I can't remember what happened."

"We're all okay," replies Giles as he squeezes her hand. "Well, we should go. There are other people who want to see you."

"I'll be outside," says Joyce. "I need to fill out some paperwork. Rupert would you…"

"Of course," replies Giles knowing what Joyce is asking. He leads her out of the room and follows her down the hallway.

Back in the waiting room, the four people left to see Buffy could not decide what order to go in. Dawn, Willow, Xander, and Spike just stood there for a while.

"I guess someone should go in," says Xander. "Dawny." Dawn is happy to go in with Xander, but wishes she was going in with Spike. The two enter the room. Xander quickly grabs her hand as he arrives at her side. "How are you doing? Both of you." Buffy laughs a little. Dawn is confused by Xander's words, but ignores it.

"We're good," replies Buffy as she holds onto his hand tighter. Xander sees that she is still wearing the bracelet.

Dawn hugs her sister lightly and then she realizes that Buffy and Xander are having a thing and that she should leave the room, so they could talk alone.

"Well, I'm glad you're not dead," says Dawn.

"Thanks, Dawn."

"I'm going to go and get something to drink. Want anything?"

"No, thanks," both Xander and Buffy say at the same time.

"Okay." Dawn leaves the room.

"Xander…"

"Buffy, don't."

"I don't love Riley." Xander is shocked by this.

"What?"

"I don't know if he knows, but I don't. He was supposed to be normal guy, Mr. Regular Joe but, it's not working. I blame myself. It's me. I can't handle a relationship that is going so well yet I know its going so wrong."

"Buff, give it half a chance. Maybe it's this life and death game you're playing here. I mean, you gotta stop doing that. Once is enough."

"Xander, I want to be with you." Xander pauses and looks at Buffy straight in the eye.

"What?" Xander nods his head. "Did I just hear right or am I…"

"I'm in love with you, Xander."

"Okay, are you sure your head is okay up there? I think I should call the doctor." Xander is ready to get the doctor, but Buffy pulls him back.

"You heard me right." Xander looks into her beautiful, green eyes that give him a sincere look. "It's the normal, regular Jane Buffy who reminded me all the things I love about you."

"Maybe I'm hallucinating. That;s it. This isn't happening."

"No." Buffy pulls him close to her and kisses him on the lips.

"Yep, I'm hallucinating." Buffy smiles at him.

"My Slayer Buffy is the one that is scared to get hurt again and scared to get close to something that is normal. Being with the creatures of the dark is kind of her thing. It's very weird that I'm talking about myself in third person."

"Sorry to hear Slayer Buff doesn't dig me because I dig her. I dig all of Buffy. The whole package." Buffy blushes.

"I still wish I was two. At least with normal Buffy I'd have a regular life."

"Well, I guess, but then you'd be defenseless and I would have to fight the bad guys for you, which I will with my very life and a lot of pain." Buffy laughs at Xander and caresses his face. "I better go. Willow and Spike want to see you."

"Spike?" says Buffy surprised that he is at the hospital. "He's here?"

"Yeah, helped me kill Toth." Xander takes Buffy's hand and kisses it before he exits the room. Then Willow and Spike enter.

"Buffy," says Willow with a big hug. "You know who I am, right?"

"Willow, I know who you are," replies Buffy. Spike walks over to a corner of the room letting Willow and Buffy have a moment. Buffy follows him with her eyes. Willow then sees that Buffy kind of wants to talk to Spike and Spike wants to talk to Buffy.

"I'm going to go and get some food," says Willow. "Food here is awful." Willow leaves the room.

"Spike," Buffy calls to him. Spike bows his head. Buffy pulls out her hand to him. He looks at it and walks slowly to her bed side. "I'm sorry. I have to admit I do have feelings for you, which should make me be grossed out, but I'm not. You care about me and you protected me and I love you for that, but I'm not in love with you." Spike bows his head. Buffy caresses his cheek and plants a sweet, tender kiss on his lips.

I know all you Spuffy fans are mad that I didn't get her with Spike but I'm a Buffy and Xander fan, I have otehr stories with those two so read those if you like. At least they had a moment. I can't split Buffy into two people, I've already done that with I'm No Buffy, Really. At least she is nice to him and tells him the truth and gives him one last kiss.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6. Double Vision. It's long. Happy reading.

Spike looks at those beautiful green eyes as he pulls away from the kiss. He wishes the kiss would last forever, but it couldn't. Spike remembers what she said before and he tries to be understanding about it.

"Well, I'm glad you're alright," says Spike as he moves closer and closer to the door. He tries not to stare at her straight in the eye, or he'll get sentimental.

"Spike," says Buffy. Spike stops at the door and turns his head around. "I know this is going to sound silly and lame, but here me out."

"What?" He turns to her and looks into her eyes. (Oh, no, he's not going to cry.) Spike gulps and holds it in.

"Can we be friends?"

"Um, I…Yeah." Spike gives her a smile. He lowers his head and continues to go out the door. Spike exits the room and as he gets out of the room, he sighs and then keeps moving down the hallway.

Buffy feels really bad about how Spike is feeling and that's another first. She remembers how he helped her, the Slayer Buffy, and how sweet he was. He may be a vampire, but deep inside he's a hell of a man.

Willow returns to the room with yummy snacks. She immediately notices Buffy's attitude change as she is talking to her about all the good foods she was able to get from the vending machines.

"Buffy, are you okay?" asks Willow.

"I'm fine, Willow," says Buffy. "I just wish I was two Buffy's again."

"Why?"

"Cause the Buffy that was regular Buffy…I kind of like being regular. Not worrying about the Slayer stuff and not making a guy feel less manly because I can bench press more than he can."

"Buffy, I think that regular Buffy and Slayer Buffy need each other to survive. Even if regular Buffy sounds more normal."

"I guess you're right, Willow."

"Come on, eat up. You need to get your strength back."

"Where is Xander?" She has concern in her voice and Willow noticed.

"I think he's outside. You want me to get him?"  
"Please."

Willow nods her head and obliges with her friend's request. She steps outside and looks around for Xander. Willow sees him sitting in a nearby chair, thinking she assumes.

"Xander," calls Willow as she walks up to him. Xander looks up at Willow. "Buffy is asking for you."

"Oh, she is," says Xander a little jittery.

"Are you two together?" asks Willow out of the blue.

"What makes you think that, Willow?"

"I don't know. You seemed pretty close at your apartment. The way you two were holding each other when Toth came in. It's very, how do you say, together."

"We can never keep a secret from you, Will."

"Never."

"Yeah, you're right. We are sort of together." Xander sighs.

"What's with the sort of?"

"I can't believe it myself, Willow. You know the way I feel about Buffy. I mean…the moment she sees Riley again, I think she'll think twice for wanting to be with me."

"Don't say that, Xander. Buffy loves you, a lot."

"I hope a lot more than Riley because I'm just not so great with rejections."

"No one is."

"You know I've always loved her. Since the day she came to Sunnydale." Xander sighs and runs his hand through his hair. He looks at his best friend and she smiles at him.

"Well, what are you waiting out here for, you doof?"

"Okay, I'm going." Xander heads over to Buffy's room. He peeks in and Buffy smiles at him.

"Come in, Xander," says Buffy. She moves over on the bed. "Sit here." She pats next to her on the bed. Xander walks over and gets on the bed. She looks into his eyes and helps him lay down. Buffy cuddles with Xander and closes her eyes.

"Buffy?" says Xander.

"What?" Buffy has her eyes closed and Xander is looking at her.

"Can I have you?" Xander grins at her.

"Yes." Buffy smiles, still with her eyes closed.

"Love you." Xander rubs Buffy's arm with his hand as she lays her hand on his chest.

"Love you, too."

Xander closes his eyes and smiles. He is the happiest man on Earth at this point because now he has the woman of his dreams in his arms and she loves him. It's truly heaven for him and he wouldn't have it any other way.

Buffy stayed at the hospital for one day and Xander was there 24/7. When they took her home, Xander and Willow plan a welcome home party even if she wasn't gone for that long. They all surprise her at her house and Buffy was happy to be welcomed.

The party actually had presents and Buffy really likes that. It is like her birthday or Christmas. She thinks to herself, she should get stabbed more often. Willow hands her the present she has for her.

"It's from Tara, Dawn, and me," says Willow. Tara and Dawn are standing next to the lamp in the living room. Buffy looks at them and smiles as she unwraps her present. It's a pretty journal, with a matching pink pen that has a little feathery thing on top. Buffy loved the pen, but had no idea if she would ever write in the journal.

"Thank you, guys," says Buffy. "I love it."

Giles walks over to her, with a small box and hands it to her. He tells her it's from him and her mother. Buffy looks at both of them as Giles walks back to Joyce's side. Buffy then looks at her mother, beginning to grow suspicious of the two. She ignores it, then continues to open the box and sees a beautiful, heart pendant that says 'daughter' and in the back it says 'love G J'.

"I love it," says Buffy almost in tears. Xander is sitting next to her. "Xander, could you…"

"Oh, sure," says Xander as he takes the pendant and puts it on Buffy. "Thank you." Buffy gets up and hugs both Giles and Joyce. She then heads back to the sofa with a smile.

Then someone knocks on the door. Everyone looks toward it as Giles walks over and opens it. The person outside is Spike, with a bouquet of flowers. He is actually not wearing the duster. Giles is impressed and invites him in. As he enters the living room, everyone stares at his attire and he heads over to Buffy.

"Are those for me?" asks Buffy, looking at the pretty flowers.

"Saw them and I thought of you," says Spike as he hands her the flowers.

"Thank you." Buffy moves closer to Spike and kisses him on the cheek. He blushes a little, but no one notices.

"Okay, my turn," says Xander. "This is actually from all us. Even Spike. They all helped me pick it out."

Buffy raises her eyebrows and sees Xander stand up from the sofa. He pulls a small box from his pocket and gets on one knee. Buffy begins to hold her breath.

"Buffy." Xander sighs and looks deep into her green eyes. "I've been in love with you since you walked up those steps into Sunnydale High School and I never gave up on that love, even when it was hopeless."

"Oh, Xander," says Buffy, touching his hand.

"So, I've only got one question. Would you make me the happiest man on Earth and be my wife?" Xander opens the box and inside is a diamond ring in platinum.

Buffy gasps at the question and the ring, even though she knew it was coming. She has so much love for Xander inside her that she never knew. Tears start to stream down her cheeks and she tries to compose herself to reply to his question.

"Yes," replies Buffy. She cups his face and kisses him before he has any time to react to her answer. After she lets him go, he puts the ring on her finger.

Everyone in the room cheers for the two, even Spike. He's finally seen that Xander is not a bad guy at all. He just hates vampires. Spike is just glad that at least Buffy is happy.

Buffy hugs Xander tight. She is so happy and she heads around to hug everyone in the room. They congratulate her as she hugs them.

After the party is over, Buffy and all the girls help Joyce clean up. The guys sit down on the sofa, talking to Xander about his proposal.

"I still thought you should have waited," says Giles to Xander. "I think it is a little too soon."

"Too soon," says Xander. "Come on, Giles. I could be dead tomorrow, or Buffy could pull one of her I'm dead again bring me back routines. Besides, it's not like we're going to get married tomorrow."

"Hey, that's not funny," says Spike, not liking Xander's comment about Buffy dying a lot and then coming back to life.

"It was a joke, Spike. I know the Slayer duties put her in danger a lot and I'm not that good of a fighter…" Xander pauses for a second. "Where was I going with this?"

"Well, if you die, I'll make sure Buffy is happy," says Spike. Giles and Xander stare at Spike. Then the girls come into the room. Buffy comes over and sits in between Giles and Xander.

"So, do you like the ring, Buffy?" asks Dawn.

"I love it," replies Buffy as she admires it.

"I'm going to be maid of honor, right?"

"Um…" Buffy looks at Willow. "We're not like getting married tomorrow?"

"No, we'll wait," says Xander.

Giles and Joyce release a sigh of relief. Xander knew they wanted him to wait. He had asked Joyce that morning before they were going to pick up Buffy at the hospital. The others, including Spike, had gone to a jewelry store that had good prices for diamond rings the night before and they all helped him find the perfect ring for Buffy.

"I'll decide all that when the time comes," says Buffy, trying not to hurt anyone's feelings. "Right now, I just want to rest." She looks at Xander and gives him a grin.

"Right, good idea," says Xander.

"It is getting late," says Giles. "We should all get going."

Everyone that did not live in the house got up and headed for the door. Buffy, Dawn, and Joyce say their goodbyes to their guests.

"Well, Buff, let's get you to bed," says Xander as he pushes her up the stairs.

Dawn and Joyce watch the two as they run up the stairs. They then look at each other as Joyce closes the front door. Dawn rolls her eyes.

Upstairs, Buffy and Xander are in her bed cuddling up together. Xander has his arms wrapped around Buffy.

"You think they'll come?" asks Buffy.

"Nah," replies Xander. "I am so tired."

"Me too and I'm the Slayer. I didn't get my beauty sleep because of you." Buffy points at Xander with her index finger pooking his chest.

"Hey, why do you blame me? I wasn't the only one doing it."

"Okay, so last night, it was worth it, but now I only want to sleep." Buffy grabs the covers and puts them over her head.

Xander grins at her, even if she doesn't see him. He kisses her head, still covered with the sheets, then lays back and falls asleep.

Author Note: I know the proposal was too soon, but I didn't want to wait. Xander didn't want to wait. It's all his idea, anyway.


End file.
